Dream State

By Shelby Wayne

Courtney Ramsey is a recently widowed mother, drowning in grief. She lives in the epitome of the small town stereotype in Philipsburg, Montana, in a tiny apartment where she struggles to support her kids. Tired and lonely, long hours spent working at a diner have begun to take their toll. Out in the world beyond, an unmerciful killer tortures young victims.

Strangely, Courtney starts having dark dreams. She sees, hears, and feels every final moment of this killer’s victims’ lives. Still mourning the loss of her husband, she begins a paranormal journey that spirals out of control and threatens the lives of those she loves most.

A budding new romance with a local police officer does nothing to ease Courtney’s fears as victims accumulate and she comes closer to recognizing the truth about the killer in her dreams. Educated in psychology, author Brenda Wilson plunges deep into the depravity and sickness of a killer’s mind in Dream State, only to prove monsters are much closer than we realize.

• Language: English
• Publisher: iUniverse
• Release date: Jan 31, 2022
• ISBN: 9781663231512

Shelby Wayne

Brenda Wilson lives in Asheville, North Carolina, and has been inspired to create by both her mother, Judy Camby (a children’s author) and her sister, Laura McCaskill, who has published several paranormal thrillers. Educated in psychology, Brenda now explores the evils of the human mind through fiction.

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Copyright © 2022 Shelby Wayne.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means,

graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by

any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the author

except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, names, incidents, organizations, and dialogue

in this novel are either the products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.

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ISBN: 978-1-6632-3152-9 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-6632-3153-6 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-6632-3151-2 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2021924927

iUniverse rev. date: 01/29/2022

Contents

Chapter One   Dream State

Chapter Two   Dream State

Chapter Three   Dream State

Chapter Four   Dream State

Chapter Five   Dream State

Chapter Six   Dream State

Chapter Seven   Dream State

Chapter Eight   Dream State

Chapter Nine   Dream State

Chapter Ten   Dream State

Chapter Eleven   Dream State

Chapter Twelve   Dream State

Chapter Thirteen   Dream State

Chapter Fourteen   Dream State

Chapter Fifteen   Dream State

Chapter Sixteen   Dream State

Chapter Seventeen   Dream State

Chapter Eighteen   Dream State

CHAPTER ONE

Dream State

Courtney Ramsey sat sleepily at her tiny metal kitchen table. The red paint that once decorated its metal frame was chipped and flaked; years of use had worn the trusty table out. A cup of coffee sat steaming in front of her; whirls of steam carried the robust aroma to her nostrils threatening to bring her from her state of grogginess. The small cup, which brandished a large chip on its rim, declared, Hold on Friday’s coming. Discarded cereal bowls still glistening with milk sat around the table where her children left them after a mad dash for the waiting school bus.

The small kitchen that was nestled in her two- bedroom apartment showed signs of wear and needed a stern cleaning. Water damage was evident around the floor and walls of the faded and chipped porcelain sink. The wallpaper had yellowed over time and grease stains were dotted here and there around the two-burner stove. The refrigerator stood proudly by the stove, decorated with priceless pieces of art designed by her daughters. Tall trees illuminated by a bright yellow sun draped over the stick figures of two little girls and a mother, large smiles scribbled across the faces. A picture of lope-sided houses with smoke pouring from their chimneys as a teeny brown dog watched on was Mandy’s attempt at pressuring her mother for a puppy. All pictures were hung proudly on the fridge, fruit shaped magnets securing them for safekeeping. The disarray of the tiny apartment and the pictures of children with a mother but no father did nothing to lift Courtney’s spirits. She was tired and lonely, had been for a long time. The long hours at the diner she dragged herself to; day and night, were taking its toll. She had an excellent boss who had been very understanding about missed work due to chicken pox or teacher’s conferences, but the bill collectors and landlord was not so sympathetic. The landlord, Mr. Kirby was a cross, mean old man who did not care one way or the other, and only wanted his rent. He was slow and inefficient on repairs or problems; hence, the water damage in the kitchen. He made it clear though that the damages would come from her deposit if she moved. She wanted desperately to argue her case but knew it would fall on deaf ears, and she could not afford to get evicted. She did not make much money at the small diner mainly due to its location.

They lived in a small town in Montana; Philipsburg, Population 844. Philipsburg: located in Granite County, was the epitome of small-town living. The former mining town was built and prospered during the silver rush of the early 1800’s. Many mines and mills were built and supported the families that lived there for several generations. The town remained after the silver rush and all its splendor, but with less grandeur. The diner’s regular customers consisting of the towns’ older widower’s, a few mechanics, construction workers, and other laborers that lived in the town. The customers themselves did not earn a large wage so tips were tight. The Mountain Café was not a huge conglomerate, but Mr. Wayne paid Courtney well and she was appreciative for that.

Rising from the table she began clearing away the dishes and placed them gently in the hard middle of the sink. She started to rinse the bowls, then the monotony of doing the same act over and over made her stop and turn away. Lately she had no desire to clean, cook or even care for her girls as she once had. Untying her maroon, terry cloth robe she decided to change into her uniform instead. As she walked through the living room of the apartment, she was aggravated at the dust on the coffee table and TV that always seemed to be there. The dirt road she lived on made dusting an impossible chore. Everyone in town had complained about the dust at one time or another. She stopped only to pick up one of Gina’s dolls that had been abandoned that morning for a cold bowl of cereal. Tossing it on the couch she let a small sigh escape her lips as she noticed how worn everything looked. Even when tidy; the place looked dirty, and again she fought back the urge to scream. She needed new furniture, new carpet, and the walls needed a good paint job. Knowing that she could not afford the luxuries, and that Mr. Kirby would never give way to spending his money for repairs, she shuffled past to her bedroom. Walking down the short hallway to her bedroom she passed the bathroom, catching a quick glimpse of herself in the full-length mirror. The sight stopped her march to the bedroom, and she found herself in front of the mirror. She dropped the robe to better view the shape of her body. At twenty-seven Courtney had been told on many occasions that she was an attractive woman. She herself did not see it though, usually finding all the flaws instead of the attributes. Leaning close to the mirror she scrutinized every pore and line on her face, using her fingers to lightly trace them. Running her fingers through her long black hair she maneuvered it into a French twist, turning from side to side to get all views. Sucking in her cheeks to add a slimmer look to her face she squinted her almond eyes hoping for a different image than the one she had viewed over the last year. Courtney backed away from the mirror about a foot and turned slightly to get a view of her behind. She had put on weight after the birth of her children, only twenty pounds but she felt it was too much for her five-foot three frame. Once again, she felt anxiety for her situation and retreated for the bedroom. Her bed sat in the middle of the small room; the quilt her grandmother had made years ago lay in a heap at the foot. Besides the bed, the room size only allowed space for a small Chester Drawer that held her clothing and a vanity table which was lined with her makeup and toiletries. The entire apartment seemed more depressing and drearier today than usual. Sitting at the end of her bed her gaze fell upon the brass picture frame on the Chester Drawer and she felt an overwhelming urge to cry. In the photo a handsome man dressed immaculately in a black tuxedo smiled warmly at a young woman in a wedding gown. The picture had been taken six years earlier on a warm June afternoon. Courtney’s wedding day. The night of their wedding they had went to a simple inn in the next county. Drinking sparking grape juice and laughing they had made light of the situation of not going to Paris or Hawaii as most honeymooner’s do. They were on a strict budget; money was tight for the entire group of factory workers in the small town. They had met at the diner Courtney worked for and after a whirlwind romance she announced to Andy she was pregnant. A quick wedding followed, and they began saving and preparing for their unborn child. Although finances were limited, they enjoyed every minuet they shared together. They found there was more to life than money; all types of things could be done for free. Picnic’s by the river, long hikes in the mountains and camping trips were regular outings for them and they both loved it. It seemed if they were together nothing else mattered. Gina was born on a Monday evening in February while the snow lightly covered the ground. Mandy was born a year and a half later to add even more joy to their already happy marriage. Andy was an excellent father, always doting and fussing over his girls. He would come home from the factory and play for hours ending the day with a bedtime story or a rousing rendition of Farmer in the Dell. Courtney had returned to the diner after Mandy was born to help with finances, Mr. Kirby’s late wife Martha watched the girls while she and Andy worked. Mrs. Kirby was nothing like her husband; she was a warm, energetic woman who enjoyed helping others. Most times she watched the children for free claiming that she just enjoyed playing with the girls and sought the company. She kept Mr. Kirby in line as well, and he treaded on eggshells to keep from upsetting his spouse. She had lost a bout with cancer six months after Andy’s accident. Springing from the bed she tried desperately to erase the memories of that miserable day. Going to the closet she pulled her uniform from the rack and mechanically began to dress. Courtney thought the pink and white uniform made her look mousy and plain. Andy always said she could make anything look good. Suddenly, without permission, her mind gave way to the flood of emotions that still hurt tremendously even after a year. Frozen in front of the bedroom window that had been painted shut years ago, she allowed the memories to pour through again. Staring blankly at the dusty road and field beyond, her subconscious took her back. It was a Friday afternoon in January; Andy had just gotten off work and she had called in sick to the diner. Mr. Wayne had said it was perfectly fine; Harriett could fill in and needed the extra money anyway. She wasn’t sick; however, she and Andy had made plans for a romantic evening alone. He had gotten his check for the week, and they had decided to splurge a little and have dinner and take in a movie in the next county. Mrs. Kirby had agreed to watch the children saying that all young couples needed a break now and then. Andy sang badly off key in the shower as she dressed, and she could not help laughing at his attempt at singing Unchained Melody. Calling to him she joked that he sounded like a dog in severe pain. You are just jealous honey; I’m good looking and I can sing! he called back to her. Laughing she put the finishing touches